What do you think?
Rate this book
You Get Full Credit For Being Alive
Dear Author,
First I didn’t see the body through all the rain and darkness but when I drew near I saw him. Thought he was dead with all the blood. But he wasn’t and I considered for a moment to end the job because really… it would have been a mercy kill. He wouldn’t survive those injuries and even if he did he would be a vegetable. I mean… look at that head wound!
But something in the way he was dumped on the back of my property in his ripped police uniform and the word FAG scrawled on his chest made me help him.
So now I’m here. His guardian angel, kind of ironic considering what I did in the past. I watch over his recovery, standing in the shadows where no one can see me.
The docs don’t think he will ever walk or speak again. The massive head trauma caused too much damage but I think he has a strong will. I saw his eyes. There is still life and reason in him. And I will help him to get back on his feet and will wait for the day when he thanks me with his own voice. As soon as he’s strong enough I’ll bring him home with me where he can heal because he has no one else.
And after that? I’m going after those fuckers who tried to off him. Because they know he is still alive…
Photo Description:
In the center of the photo is a dark-haired man sitting, head down, with his arms around his knees. Behind him is another man, blond and muscular, with his arms wrapped completely around the other man’s body. Their faces are hidden, but the impression is one of protectiveness and affection.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
First I didn’t see the body through all the rain and darkness but when I drew near I saw him. Thought he was dead with all the blood. But he wasn’t and I considered for a moment to end the job because really… it would have been a mercy kill. He wouldn’t survive those injuries and even if he did he would be a vegetable. I mean… look at that head wound!
But something in the way he was dumped on the back of my property in his ripped police uniform and the word FAG scrawled on his chest made me help him.
So now I’m here. His guardian angel, kind of ironic considering what I did in the past. I watch over his recovery, standing in the shadows where no one can see me.
The docs don’t think he will ever walk or speak again. The massive head trauma caused too much damage but I think he has a strong will. I saw his eyes. There is still life and reason in him. And I will help him to get back on his feet and will wait for the day when he thanks me with his own voice. As soon as he’s strong enough I’ll bring him home with me where he can heal because he has no one else.
And after that? I’m going after those fuckers who tried to off him. Because they know he is still alive…
Photo Description:
In the center of the photo is a dark-haired man sitting, head down, with his arms around his knees. Behind him is another man, blond and muscular, with his arms wrapped completely around the other man’s body. Their faces are hidden, but the impression is one of protectiveness and affection.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
89 pages, ebook
First published June 25, 2013
88 people are currently reading
3635 people want to read
About the author
Cari Z.
133 books537 followersCari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She feels like Halloween should happen every month, which is why you get this picture of her, and hopes that you enjoy reading what she's put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
June 29, 2013
4.85 stars
Bloody oath, what a ripper of a story this turned out to be, a brilliant piece of writing, emotionally satisfying and I savoured every last word. I will happily follow these men on whatever ride they take me on in the future. When Justin discovers Shawn (Della the sweetie has a hand in that) beaten, bloody and left for dead, his plans of a quiet and lone existence are screwed up, hurray for that. He’s suspicious, protective and intrigued, his sense of justice is foremost, the retired killer is about to even up the score and make sure Shawn has a fighting chance. The hints of humour and compassion are beautiful and deep, loved it. Justin is a fascinating man, who can and will change with the right man. As for Shawn is it greedy of me to want more of his thoughts and feelings, I wish. There's no fluff, sugar or fast love, its slow and it's wonderful, I loved it.
Bloody oath, what a ripper of a story this turned out to be, a brilliant piece of writing, emotionally satisfying and I savoured every last word. I will happily follow these men on whatever ride they take me on in the future. When Justin discovers Shawn (Della the sweetie has a hand in that) beaten, bloody and left for dead, his plans of a quiet and lone existence are screwed up, hurray for that. He’s suspicious, protective and intrigued, his sense of justice is foremost, the retired killer is about to even up the score and make sure Shawn has a fighting chance. The hints of humour and compassion are beautiful and deep, loved it. Justin is a fascinating man, who can and will change with the right man. As for Shawn is it greedy of me to want more of his thoughts and feelings, I wish. There's no fluff, sugar or fast love, its slow and it's wonderful, I loved it.
July 20, 2022
4.5 Stars
Another brilliant win.
Cari Z fulfilled the prompt’s request, and she did it with plausibility and realism that didn’t short the reader!
Take one hit man, determined to be retired, who has his plans derailed when he finds a cop on the brink of death near his remote cabin. What first starts off as a Good Samaritan move in dropping the brutally beaten man off at the hospital, turns into a need to make sure he remains safe.
Slow burn, hurt comfort, disability - all tied up in redemption, new beginnings, and the bad guys getting their due!
A wonderful read and a Z book that was finally fully smexy! High five!
Another brilliant win.
Cari Z fulfilled the prompt’s request, and she did it with plausibility and realism that didn’t short the reader!
Take one hit man, determined to be retired, who has his plans derailed when he finds a cop on the brink of death near his remote cabin. What first starts off as a Good Samaritan move in dropping the brutally beaten man off at the hospital, turns into a need to make sure he remains safe.
Slow burn, hurt comfort, disability - all tied up in redemption, new beginnings, and the bad guys getting their due!
A wonderful read and a Z book that was finally fully smexy! High five!
June 27, 2013
Because you saw me.
So simple. You saw me.
I fucking loved this story. I have been absolutely blown away every day since May when these absolutely fantastic Love Has No Boundaries stories started coming out, free, from some of the most talented authors writing M/M fiction today. This is just another stellar example from Cari Z., an author I'm not quite as familiar with. I've only read her book Surviving the Change which I've actually read twice and is on my favorites shelf. I'm excited to read some of her other titles now, after reading You Get Full Credit For Being Alive.
This is the story of an incredibly lost soul, just barely alive by himself in an old house in the middle of nowhere with his dog. Ready to live the rest of his life alone. Then along comes a man he thinks he can live for. It's as simple and complicated as that. Their journey is beautiful. I loved every minute.
So simple. You saw me.
I fucking loved this story. I have been absolutely blown away every day since May when these absolutely fantastic Love Has No Boundaries stories started coming out, free, from some of the most talented authors writing M/M fiction today. This is just another stellar example from Cari Z., an author I'm not quite as familiar with. I've only read her book Surviving the Change which I've actually read twice and is on my favorites shelf. I'm excited to read some of her other titles now, after reading You Get Full Credit For Being Alive.
This is the story of an incredibly lost soul, just barely alive by himself in an old house in the middle of nowhere with his dog. Ready to live the rest of his life alone. Then along comes a man he thinks he can live for. It's as simple and complicated as that. Their journey is beautiful. I loved every minute.
June 27, 2013
Absolutely wonderful.
Marvellous pacing, great plot, characters I love. Invisible writing; nothing between me and the story. And long!
I love that Justin isn't a cartoon character. I love the way Z developed the story carefully and slowly. I loved the beginning, loved the end, loved the middle. Loved the dog. Just a whole bushel of love goin' on here.
This is better than 99% of published m/m I pay money for.
EDIT: Read Gigi's review: she's all articulate while I'm just fingerpainting here.
Marvellous pacing, great plot, characters I love. Invisible writing; nothing between me and the story. And long!
I love that Justin isn't a cartoon character. I love the way Z developed the story carefully and slowly. I loved the beginning, loved the end, loved the middle. Loved the dog. Just a whole bushel of love goin' on here.
This is better than 99% of published m/m I pay money for.
EDIT: Read Gigi's review: she's all articulate while I'm just fingerpainting here.
December 10, 2013
Almost.
The bad:
[comprised entirely of a fellow writer's nerdy nitpicks, and thus spoiler-tagged that you may ignore them if you wish]
The good:
- Margo. She's way fun, if a touch cliche.
- Nice set-up. Hey, pop quiz: you're a retired contract killer needing to keep a low profile. You find a hot cop near death on your property. Do you fuck him on the spot, let him die, or both? Read on to find out.
- Good visual storytelling. Cary Z. has great instincts. Some of the scenes are devastating in their pathos, and others are just plain awesome to imagine. It's hard to write scenes while thinking in three dimensions. Cary Z. can do it, and when she does it here—it's really cool.
My favorite was the scene on the lawn, toward the end; still smiling about that one.
I'm eager to read more of this author's work.
The bad:
[comprised entirely of a fellow writer's nerdy nitpicks, and thus spoiler-tagged that you may ignore them if you wish]
The good:
- Margo. She's way fun, if a touch cliche.
- Nice set-up. Hey, pop quiz: you're a retired contract killer needing to keep a low profile. You find a hot cop near death on your property. Do you fuck him on the spot, let him die, or both? Read on to find out.
- Good visual storytelling. Cary Z. has great instincts. Some of the scenes are devastating in their pathos, and others are just plain awesome to imagine. It's hard to write scenes while thinking in three dimensions. Cary Z. can do it, and when she does it here—it's really cool.
My favorite was the scene on the lawn, toward the end; still smiling about that one.
I'm eager to read more of this author's work.
December 15, 2013
4.5*
This story had a very powerful picture prompt and I think the author did an awesome job with this story.
Justin is just walking his dog Della (love me a pup) and discovers what he thinks is a dumped body, he quickly realizes that he isn't dead - yet.
Justin is no boy scout, but he has had a change of heart over the years and something about this young man, fighting for his life touches him and after reading it, I think it's also a little bit of trying to change the past, wanting this time to have a different outcome.
He helps, watches over, protects and slowly falls for Shawn. Shawn in turn has a lot to overcome, his injuries were very severe. And Justin needs to overcome himself as well.
Watching it enfold was great and I gobbled it up. A really good story. Read it.
I loved this story, it was a mixture of deceit, redemption, second chances, hurt-comfort, perseverance, forgiveness, cloak and dagger, a dog, and some sadness and some sweetness.
This story had a very powerful picture prompt and I think the author did an awesome job with this story.
Justin is just walking his dog Della (love me a pup) and discovers what he thinks is a dumped body, he quickly realizes that he isn't dead - yet.
Justin is no boy scout, but he has had a change of heart over the years and something about this young man, fighting for his life touches him and after reading it, I think it's also a little bit of trying to change the past, wanting this time to have a different outcome.
He helps, watches over, protects and slowly falls for Shawn. Shawn in turn has a lot to overcome, his injuries were very severe. And Justin needs to overcome himself as well.
Watching it enfold was great and I gobbled it up. A really good story. Read it.
I loved this story, it was a mixture of deceit, redemption, second chances, hurt-comfort, perseverance, forgiveness, cloak and dagger, a dog, and some sadness and some sweetness.
January 24, 2015
3.75 stars
This is a brilliant little freebie with a catchy title about a jaded ex-hitman with a conscience and a young cop who trusted his new boyfriend too much.
This one's all about the second chances, the slow burn, the healing.
Justin's multiple persona act was rather unbelievable, and I was irritated that we never got his real name, but his care and attentiveness toward Shawn certainly rang true.
The cute, protective mut of a dog was just a bonus.
This was a somewhat suspenseful, well-written, romantic story about finding love when you're not looking, because someone once looked at you, truly looked, and SAW.
Peter got what was coming to him. Margo was a great secondary character. And the last few pages were the right juxtaposition of sexy and sweet.
If you missed this one like I did, download it now.
This is a brilliant little freebie with a catchy title about a jaded ex-hitman with a conscience and a young cop who trusted his new boyfriend too much.
This one's all about the second chances, the slow burn, the healing.
Justin's multiple persona act was rather unbelievable, and I was irritated that we never got his real name, but his care and attentiveness toward Shawn certainly rang true.
The cute, protective mut of a dog was just a bonus.
This was a somewhat suspenseful, well-written, romantic story about finding love when you're not looking, because someone once looked at you, truly looked, and SAW.
Peter got what was coming to him. Margo was a great secondary character. And the last few pages were the right juxtaposition of sexy and sweet.
If you missed this one like I did, download it now.
August 28, 2013
Oh, boy, I think I've found my favourite LHNB short story. Actually, the one and only completely perfect LHNB short story.
My first experience reading Cari Z. wasn't exactly what we could call spectacular and it caused me to think she was just another one of those low-quality, superficial quickie writers - let's face it, the M/M landscape in brimming and crawling with those. Thankfully, I let myself be persuaded to read this one by the tens of glowing reviews, though it wouldn't have surprised me if I'd ended up hating it, and Cari, I am so fucking sorry; I'll never make that mistake again.
This story might just have been perfect for me and for the mood I was in when I read it, but I honestly think it's just perfect, period.
The pace is leisurely, quite slow even, and boy, did that make me happy. It gave me the time to get to know the MC, J (btw, I still don't have an actual name for this guy... *taps foot*), understand his personality and thought processes and fall in love with him. As an ex military man and assassin, he obviously has a pretty - oh my god, doesn't it just kill you when you know what you want to say but you can't find that word? I'll fix this up later *huff* - past. He got over it, though, despite some leftover issues which are actually more like almost endearing quirks, and learned from it. He's a strong, solid, mature and essentially good man, and I loved him so much.
There is a dead lover in this story. My first reaction to this was "Why in hell did nobody warn me about this? Isn't it what friends are for?" but then it just stopped bothering me. Which never happens, fyi. The thing is, J loved Dom, but it was a rough, almost vicious kind of love - and one that I totally wouldn't mind reading about, as an unrelated story - whereas what he has now with Shawn is sweeter (not saying that rough love is not good love, but let's face it, we do need some sweetness in life) and more complete, in a way. I think this made it easier to accept the love J felt, and in a way still feels, for Dom. Margot's character helped too - she is Dom's twin and J's (probably only) friend, with whom he has a complicated relationship. Oh, and hey, she's a great female character. I think I'm on a good streak with those.
Don't worry though, the love story is deliciously slow and all about J and Shawn, and it is oh-so-satisfying.
This is hurt-comfort of the best quality, with a touch of Chance Assassin twistedness. What more could you wish for?
---
Guys, I copy-pasted this review in a Word file while I was writing it. I am so amazing.
My first experience reading Cari Z. wasn't exactly what we could call spectacular and it caused me to think she was just another one of those low-quality, superficial quickie writers - let's face it, the M/M landscape in brimming and crawling with those. Thankfully, I let myself be persuaded to read this one by the tens of glowing reviews, though it wouldn't have surprised me if I'd ended up hating it, and Cari, I am so fucking sorry; I'll never make that mistake again.
This story might just have been perfect for me and for the mood I was in when I read it, but I honestly think it's just perfect, period.
The pace is leisurely, quite slow even, and boy, did that make me happy. It gave me the time to get to know the MC, J (btw, I still don't have an actual name for this guy... *taps foot*), understand his personality and thought processes and fall in love with him. As an ex military man and assassin, he obviously has a pretty - oh my god, doesn't it just kill you when you know what you want to say but you can't find that word? I'll fix this up later *huff* - past. He got over it, though, despite some leftover issues which are actually more like almost endearing quirks, and learned from it. He's a strong, solid, mature and essentially good man, and I loved him so much.
There is a dead lover in this story. My first reaction to this was "Why in hell did nobody warn me about this? Isn't it what friends are for?" but then it just stopped bothering me. Which never happens, fyi. The thing is, J loved Dom, but it was a rough, almost vicious kind of love - and one that I totally wouldn't mind reading about, as an unrelated story - whereas what he has now with Shawn is sweeter (not saying that rough love is not good love, but let's face it, we do need some sweetness in life) and more complete, in a way. I think this made it easier to accept the love J felt, and in a way still feels, for Dom. Margot's character helped too - she is Dom's twin and J's (probably only) friend, with whom he has a complicated relationship. Oh, and hey, she's a great female character. I think I'm on a good streak with those.
Don't worry though, the love story is deliciously slow and all about J and Shawn, and it is oh-so-satisfying.
This is hurt-comfort of the best quality, with a touch of Chance Assassin twistedness. What more could you wish for?
---
Guys, I copy-pasted this review in a Word file while I was writing it. I am so amazing.
June 28, 2013
I picked this up as my priority read of "Love Has No Boundaries today because my friends were raving about it. And I have read several stories from Cari Z before, so I knew her style, even if I experienced DNF-ing one of her stories as well.
I loved it. It had a very good pacing -- and I appreciated the slow journey to recovery because Shawn was heavily wounded; he suffered from aphasia and dysarthria after a blow to his skull. Justin, for a former assassin, was likeable. I liked that he didn't described as cynic, aloof, or cold. While he admitted that he was lonely sometimes, but Justin was able to take it all in stride, with the company of a dog named Della.
I enjoyed reading about Justin's going 'undercover' by bringing Della along to the hospital so he could protect Shawn from harm. I enjoyed Justin and Shawn connecting by doing some carpentry works. And I LOVED the ending (though yeah, I must changed the word "baby" there, it made me itch in a bad way!!!)
The only female character here, Margot, was someone I appreciated as well. She was one of those non-sense characters -- and I definitely loved it better than the usual portrayal of 'bitch' or 'villain'. (By the way, when she was portrayed having "sharp green eyes", I was thinking about you, Mandy *lol*)
For the down-side ... it was a bit too easy to make as the bad guy -- and it made the story lack of conflict because compared to Justin being the savior, it was no contest whom Shawn would choose, wasn't it? Also, I did wonder whether Shawn really loved Justin for who he was, or because he felt like he owed Justin something. Maybe because the story was written completely from Justin's point of view and we never really got to know what was in Shawn's mind.
Lovely story -- easy favorite from this event.
I loved it. It had a very good pacing -- and I appreciated the slow journey to recovery because Shawn was heavily wounded; he suffered from aphasia and dysarthria after a blow to his skull. Justin, for a former assassin, was likeable. I liked that he didn't described as cynic, aloof, or cold. While he admitted that he was lonely sometimes, but Justin was able to take it all in stride, with the company of a dog named Della.
I enjoyed reading about Justin's going 'undercover' by bringing Della along to the hospital so he could protect Shawn from harm. I enjoyed Justin and Shawn connecting by doing some carpentry works. And I LOVED the ending (though yeah, I must changed the word "baby" there, it made me itch in a bad way!!!)
The only female character here, Margot, was someone I appreciated as well. She was one of those non-sense characters -- and I definitely loved it better than the usual portrayal of 'bitch' or 'villain'. (By the way, when she was portrayed having "sharp green eyes", I was thinking about you, Mandy *lol*)
For the down-side ... it was a bit too easy to make as the bad guy -- and it made the story lack of conflict because compared to Justin being the savior, it was no contest whom Shawn would choose, wasn't it? Also, I did wonder whether Shawn really loved Justin for who he was, or because he felt like he owed Justin something. Maybe because the story was written completely from Justin's point of view and we never really got to know what was in Shawn's mind.
Lovely story -- easy favorite from this event.
September 30, 2013
What a wonderful tale. Justin is complex and multi layered but what a fantastic character. I just fell for him straight away. I loved how protective he was of Shawn, who for a large part of the story is so vulnerable and an absolute sweetie and yes he goes beyond the call of duty to stop further harm from happening to him but its what he is and what he does.. he's had a violent past and he'll fight dirty to keep the people he loves safe and over the course of watching over Shawn that's exactly what happens, he falls in love.
Theres a lot more though to the story than just an everyday romance, this is beautifully plotted and character driven. The connection between Justin and Shawn is palpable and there's a great female supporting role in Margot a very close friend from his past and the only other person he can trust to help him get Shawn well. I suppose you'd call it a slow burner but in this case, that in itself is what makes it work so well. A very classy short story!
Please, everyone who's reading the LHNB stories, don't pass this absolute gem by. There's been some really amazing ones but this is definitely one of my most favourites up to now. Excellent. I hope Cari brings these two back in the near future. I'd love to read more of their life together. Nothing less than 5 stars from me.
Theres a lot more though to the story than just an everyday romance, this is beautifully plotted and character driven. The connection between Justin and Shawn is palpable and there's a great female supporting role in Margot a very close friend from his past and the only other person he can trust to help him get Shawn well. I suppose you'd call it a slow burner but in this case, that in itself is what makes it work so well. A very classy short story!
Please, everyone who's reading the LHNB stories, don't pass this absolute gem by. There's been some really amazing ones but this is definitely one of my most favourites up to now. Excellent. I hope Cari brings these two back in the near future. I'd love to read more of their life together. Nothing less than 5 stars from me.
July 23, 2022
3.5 Stars
A free novella, featuring an ex-trained killer playing protector and hero to a young cop, who he finds on-death’s-door in his backyard after a brutal attack.
There’s lots of hurt-comfort goodness in this one. And who doesn’t love a hardened assassin redemption story?
Impressive storytelling, once again, from Cari Z., who writes edgy, angsty M/M romances, featuring delicious morally grey characters in need of some lovin’. Don’t mind if I do!
Did I mention it was free?! All these years on and I still love me the stories that came out of the ‘Don’t Read in the Closet’ events… FOR FREE! 🙌
A free novella, featuring an ex-trained killer playing protector and hero to a young cop, who he finds on-death’s-door in his backyard after a brutal attack.
There’s lots of hurt-comfort goodness in this one. And who doesn’t love a hardened assassin redemption story?
Impressive storytelling, once again, from Cari Z., who writes edgy, angsty M/M romances, featuring delicious morally grey characters in need of some lovin’. Don’t mind if I do!
Did I mention it was free?! All these years on and I still love me the stories that came out of the ‘Don’t Read in the Closet’ events… FOR FREE! 🙌
July 1, 2013
Definitely one of the best stories of the M/M romance group's LHNB.
Cari, your story blew me away, you truly rocked my world. :)
I fell in love with your MCs from the beginning. Justin is such an intriguing character. And Shawn is so cute, so loveable. The writing was entertaining and thrilling. I loved every damn word! And I hope so much that you'll write more about this two guys. Their story has just begun, right?
Highly recommended! :)
July 2, 2013
4.5 stars – Wonderful free novella that successfully hits all my m/m action-romance buttons in one solid go.
Written for the M/M Romance Group’s Love Has No Boundaries Event, this story focuses on Justin, who decided to retire early from his life as an assassin and live in solitude in the Pacific Northwest. (Well, solitude except for stray dog Della that he picked up.) But his quiet life with Della is interrupted one night when they come upon the beaten body of a young cop in his back woods, and Justin makes a decision that changes his no-connections life.
He takes the man to the hospital, but even then, he can’t leave their connection, and he slowly digs his way into Shawn’s life as he watches over his slow recovery. But Shawn has enemies, the ones who had beat and left him, and Justin makes another decision that changes everything—he vows to protect Shawn, and to do that, he takes him home with him.
Totally captivating story of a former killer and a recovering young cop who hit it off, even if they can’t easily communicate with each other (since Shawn’s injuries extend to temporarily losing his ability to speak.) Their chemistry and relationship is a wonderful slow build. I also loved the touches that reveal Shawn’s stubborn resilience, so even if he couldn’t speak, the other ways that he communicated added a lot of brightness to the story. The hurt-comfort elements weren’t over the top or gratuitous, but felt realistic and right for the characters (and at times, the vulnerabilities and strengths that both men shared were very touching.)
And at close to 40,000 words, it’s a nicely long read (especially for being free!) My only beef is that I could have read WAY MORE of the story. There’s a nice little epilogue that ties things up, but I would have loved to have read more of what happened in the in-between time (and after.) Just MORE. It was so good, I could have soaked in a full-length novel of it, with more backstory for Justin and Shawn, and more about their current relationship. (And a Shawn POV would be great--I loved Justin’s voice, but I would love to see our badass assassin (with a sweet side) from Shawn’s sharp perspective.)
But still a great read, and recommended for anyone who likes a little action mixed in with their m/m romance (and especially for you Zero at the Bone fans.) Even if I wanted more, it was a still a satisfying, very enjoyable read.
Heads-up for low sexy times, but I didn't really miss it. Well, that's a little bit of a lie. I wouldn't have minded MORE with all the other MORE that I wanted. (I'm greedy.)
Highly recommended! And the full story can be downloaded FOR FREE here.
Cari Z, thank you for a wonderful story! (Sequel, pretty please?)
Written for the M/M Romance Group’s Love Has No Boundaries Event, this story focuses on Justin, who decided to retire early from his life as an assassin and live in solitude in the Pacific Northwest. (Well, solitude except for stray dog Della that he picked up.) But his quiet life with Della is interrupted one night when they come upon the beaten body of a young cop in his back woods, and Justin makes a decision that changes his no-connections life.
He takes the man to the hospital, but even then, he can’t leave their connection, and he slowly digs his way into Shawn’s life as he watches over his slow recovery. But Shawn has enemies, the ones who had beat and left him, and Justin makes another decision that changes everything—he vows to protect Shawn, and to do that, he takes him home with him.
Totally captivating story of a former killer and a recovering young cop who hit it off, even if they can’t easily communicate with each other (since Shawn’s injuries extend to temporarily losing his ability to speak.) Their chemistry and relationship is a wonderful slow build. I also loved the touches that reveal Shawn’s stubborn resilience, so even if he couldn’t speak, the other ways that he communicated added a lot of brightness to the story. The hurt-comfort elements weren’t over the top or gratuitous, but felt realistic and right for the characters (and at times, the vulnerabilities and strengths that both men shared were very touching.)
And at close to 40,000 words, it’s a nicely long read (especially for being free!) My only beef is that I could have read WAY MORE of the story. There’s a nice little epilogue that ties things up, but I would have loved to have read more of what happened in the in-between time (and after.) Just MORE. It was so good, I could have soaked in a full-length novel of it, with more backstory for Justin and Shawn, and more about their current relationship. (And a Shawn POV would be great--I loved Justin’s voice, but I would love to see our badass assassin (with a sweet side) from Shawn’s sharp perspective.)
But still a great read, and recommended for anyone who likes a little action mixed in with their m/m romance (and especially for you Zero at the Bone fans.) Even if I wanted more, it was a still a satisfying, very enjoyable read.
Heads-up for low sexy times, but I didn't really miss it. Well, that's a little bit of a lie. I wouldn't have minded MORE with all the other MORE that I wanted. (I'm greedy.)
Highly recommended! And the full story can be downloaded FOR FREE here.
Cari Z, thank you for a wonderful story! (Sequel, pretty please?)
October 23, 2016
Review written July 2, 2013
3.7 Stars - Interesting all the way to last page
In just over 100 pages, I got a nice story about the smart and quite shady Justin who sees as his mission to save a man he finds by a chance, the lovely and damaged Shawn.
It all starts when Justin's dog Della, and maybe his only friend, Della finds a young guy lying in woods just outside the cottage where they live. The mans head is bleeding and Justin takes him to the hospital ER.
A few days later the young police officer, Shawn wakes up in a hospital. Shawn doesn't remember what happened. He is badly wounded and has lost the power of speech. An attractive blond, slightly older, big man - sometimes a hospital cleaners and sometimes a volunteer with a dog - get in touch...
This is a delicate and very tender shortie about caring for a stranger, the desire to change one's life and to just take one step at a time.
If you must get instant heat and insta quick love isn't this novella the right one for you. That's exactly what makes this story so good for me. Justin is a wonderful man who often, in a funny way, talk and fight with his inner conscience regarding the blossom attraction to the younger Shawn. Yeah, Justin does everything he is able too to get poor Shawn on the feets again.
Cute, funny and well written. A novella to read and enjoy. I really did!
I LIKE- a good read
*****
This novella was recommended to me by my (new) sweet friend Vio. Thank you, Vio!
*) “The Goodreads M/M Romance Group
3.7 Stars - Interesting all the way to last page
In just over 100 pages, I got a nice story about the smart and quite shady Justin who sees as his mission to save a man he finds by a chance, the lovely and damaged Shawn.
It all starts when Justin's dog Della, and maybe his only friend, Della finds a young guy lying in woods just outside the cottage where they live. The mans head is bleeding and Justin takes him to the hospital ER.
A few days later the young police officer, Shawn wakes up in a hospital. Shawn doesn't remember what happened. He is badly wounded and has lost the power of speech. An attractive blond, slightly older, big man - sometimes a hospital cleaners and sometimes a volunteer with a dog - get in touch...
“Shawn,” I said again, rubbing my thumb gently over his sternum. “I’m Justin.” It was one of my favorite aliases, close enough to my real name that I always responded naturally to it. “Listen up. You’ve gotta fight through this, okay? Fight and wake up and get stronger. This isn’t a good place to be. When you’re better, I’ll take you somewhere safe.”
This is a delicate and very tender shortie about caring for a stranger, the desire to change one's life and to just take one step at a time.
If you must get instant heat and insta quick love isn't this novella the right one for you. That's exactly what makes this story so good for me. Justin is a wonderful man who often, in a funny way, talk and fight with his inner conscience regarding the blossom attraction to the younger Shawn. Yeah, Justin does everything he is able too to get poor Shawn on the feets again.
“In the center of the photo is a dark-haired man sitting, head down, with his arms around his knees. Behind him is another man, blond and muscular, with his arms wrapped completely around the other man’s body. Their faces are hidden, but the impression is one of protectiveness and affection.” *)
Cute, funny and well written. A novella to read and enjoy. I really did!
I LIKE- a good read
*****
This novella was recommended to me by my (new) sweet friend Vio. Thank you, Vio!
*) “The Goodreads M/M Romance Group
June 27, 2013
I’m really not sure how to rate this one.
The beginning had me interested. Justin was certainly an interesting character, and I was curious as to who the body was and why he had been left for dead.
The climatic ending was good and again kept my attention.
But the parts in-between kinda lost momentum for me. A little too drawn out with nothing really happening. I certainly never warmed to Margot. She is the kind of female I don’t care for in my books. To be honest I never really felt much chemistry between Justin and Shawn either. Maybe because we don’t get anything from Shawn’s point of view, so it’s hard to see why they fell for each other.
Overall a good read, but maybe just not to my taste.
The beginning had me interested. Justin was certainly an interesting character, and I was curious as to who the body was and why he had been left for dead.
The climatic ending was good and again kept my attention.
But the parts in-between kinda lost momentum for me. A little too drawn out with nothing really happening. I certainly never warmed to Margot. She is the kind of female I don’t care for in my books. To be honest I never really felt much chemistry between Justin and Shawn either. Maybe because we don’t get anything from Shawn’s point of view, so it’s hard to see why they fell for each other.
Overall a good read, but maybe just not to my taste.
July 21, 2022
4.5***** stars
Holy moly. How to write a gripping story on a hundred pages or less. And what a ride that was.
Justin, a retired assassin finds a half dead young man and a cop at that in the woods behind his property and takes him to a hospital. He gets a clue on who’s responsible very quickly and takes on different personas to stay near Shawn and to keep him safe.
This was a fast paced read that only slowed down a little due to Shawn’s recovery and picked up full speed later again. Cary Z’s writing was immaculate and on point. It was hard to put down even for a second so I devoured it in one sitting.
**********
I read that and made a lucky guess on what his real name could be and was pretty excited to tell you guys how I was right. But guess what. I can’t. Because his real name is never revealed. Shitty, right? I was pretty mad… and sad about it. *lol
Anyway. I loved it. ♡
*********
This was part of the „Love Has No Boundaries“ promotion and I think Cari Z did an outstanding job along the story letter she was given.
Holy moly. How to write a gripping story on a hundred pages or less. And what a ride that was.
Justin, a retired assassin finds a half dead young man and a cop at that in the woods behind his property and takes him to a hospital. He gets a clue on who’s responsible very quickly and takes on different personas to stay near Shawn and to keep him safe.
This was a fast paced read that only slowed down a little due to Shawn’s recovery and picked up full speed later again. Cary Z’s writing was immaculate and on point. It was hard to put down even for a second so I devoured it in one sitting.
**********
"I’m Justin.” It was one of my favorite aliases, close enough to my real name that I always responded naturally to it.
I read that and made a lucky guess on what his real name could be and was pretty excited to tell you guys how I was right. But guess what. I can’t. Because his real name is never revealed. Shitty, right? I was pretty mad… and sad about it. *lol
Anyway. I loved it. ♡
*********
This was part of the „Love Has No Boundaries“ promotion and I think Cari Z did an outstanding job along the story letter she was given.
„The Goodreads M/M Romance Group invited members to choose a photo and pen a letter asking for a short M/M romance story inspired by the image; authors from the group were encouraged to select a letter and write an original tale.“
July 10, 2013
Extremely short review as others have already described how amazing this one is. Another LHNB freebie....the best of the bunch so far for me, and there have been some really good ones. 5 stars but
if I could. Absolutely wonderful, and there is to be another story apparently...here endeth my review.
July 19, 2013
~~~
This is a great example of stellar character development that makes you appreciate how many types of relationships authors let us explore. Subtle, sweet, good stuff. And surprising. I've come to expect something different from Cari Z, but I haven't been disappointed yet. She gets me every time.
I couldn't have enjoyed this more. I have to admit that since the prompt mentioned that sex wasn't necessary I was a bit hesitant *blushes. Yeah, I thought it wouldn't hold my interest O_O Instead what I found was that I read this straight through with hardly a break.
There is sex at the very end and it was lovely and right for the story, but it was certainly not the focus. This is purely character driven and being that one character doesn't speak (mostly) is really saying something. I recommend this whole-heartedly. I think you'll really love it.
~~~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
This is a great example of stellar character development that makes you appreciate how many types of relationships authors let us explore. Subtle, sweet, good stuff. And surprising. I've come to expect something different from Cari Z, but I haven't been disappointed yet. She gets me every time.
He looked confused, and his fingers twitched toward me.
"Shh, it's okay," I said soothingly. "But Shawn, I'm a secret. I'm your secret."
I couldn't have enjoyed this more. I have to admit that since the prompt mentioned that sex wasn't necessary I was a bit hesitant *blushes. Yeah, I thought it wouldn't hold my interest O_O Instead what I found was that I read this straight through with hardly a break.
There is sex at the very end and it was lovely and right for the story, but it was certainly not the focus. This is purely character driven and being that one character doesn't speak (mostly) is really saying something. I recommend this whole-heartedly. I think you'll really love it.
~~~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
April 27, 2017
How can you stand up to an ex hired assassin who tells you:
I’ll take you home
I certainly could not.
Definitely one of the best LHNB stories I've read so far. Hurt-comfort theme at its best, two amazing MCs, a wonderful dog, action, plot, love .. What more can you ask for?
I had a house and a dog and a decent defensive perimeter. What more could a man want? Apart from revenge, which I was also planning on getting
Sure, you’ll need a bit of suspension of disbelief to enjoy this, but is it’s definitely worth to check it out.
I’ll take you home
I certainly could not.
Definitely one of the best LHNB stories I've read so far. Hurt-comfort theme at its best, two amazing MCs, a wonderful dog, action, plot, love .. What more can you ask for?
I had a house and a dog and a decent defensive perimeter. What more could a man want? Apart from revenge, which I was also planning on getting
Sure, you’ll need a bit of suspension of disbelief to enjoy this, but is it’s definitely worth to check it out.
July 10, 2013
A great read and a lot of action packed into a few pages. I loved the development of the story finding out that Shawn is really the sweet and innocent one trapped in a web of lies and deceit. However, Shawn recognises something in Justin that goes beyond the hired killer and with his strength Justin wipes the slate clean, putting the past behind him and tries to do right in his life. A gripping story in compact form.
October 22, 2016
2,5 stars
I know that this short novella has a lot of fans.
Unfortunately I am not among them.
It was not bad. But it was not good. For me.
Don't ask me WHY.
Simply:
It didn't reach my heart.
It did nothing to my head.
And I didn't noticed either any reaction in my below body's part.
I know that this short novella has a lot of fans.
Unfortunately I am not among them.
It was not bad. But it was not good. For me.
Don't ask me WHY.
Simply:
It didn't reach my heart.
It did nothing to my head.
And I didn't noticed either any reaction in my below body's part.
June 29, 2013
4.5 stars.
My heart... dear god, my heart. It's overflowing with love for this story.
My heart... dear god, my heart. It's overflowing with love for this story.
June 25, 2013
Me likey.
Nice level of violence though the actual body count is low, a much higher amount is referenced--yay! Justin is a hero with my favorite qualities: moral code, violent and sweet. Shawn is one tough cookie and adorable, definitely worthy of Justin. Plus all the great quotes I found along the way that made me smile, I limited myself to two.
Favorite quotes:
Arguing with my conscience wasn’t something I could do silently; it felt too schizophrenic to keep it all inside my head. Of course, talking to myself out loud wasn’t perfectly sane either, but it made me feel better.
I don’t do what Jesus would do, but I like to think he’d understand my rationale.
Nice level of violence though the actual body count is low, a much higher amount is referenced--yay! Justin is a hero with my favorite qualities: moral code, violent and sweet. Shawn is one tough cookie and adorable, definitely worthy of Justin. Plus all the great quotes I found along the way that made me smile, I limited myself to two.
Favorite quotes:
Arguing with my conscience wasn’t something I could do silently; it felt too schizophrenic to keep it all inside my head. Of course, talking to myself out loud wasn’t perfectly sane either, but it made me feel better.
I don’t do what Jesus would do, but I like to think he’d understand my rationale.
January 23, 2014
Bravo!
4.5 solid stars
*just a little bit more*
*just a little more little bit more*
*ahhh hell, who needs sleep*
This was me last night. I consumed this fascinating mysterious story in one setting and now I'm running on fumes.
*blindly reaches for full strength caffeine, wishing it was an espresso*
There are few things I am willing to sacrifice sleep for... 'J' and Shawn's intriguing story of was one of them.
Fabulous read.
Really.
check it out!
4.5 solid stars
*just a little bit more*
*just a little more little bit more*
*ahhh hell, who needs sleep*
This was me last night. I consumed this fascinating mysterious story in one setting and now I'm running on fumes.
*blindly reaches for full strength caffeine, wishing it was an espresso*
There are few things I am willing to sacrifice sleep for... 'J' and Shawn's intriguing story of was one of them.
Fabulous read.
Really.
check it out!
June 26, 2013
This reminded me of 'Zero to the Bone'. Assassin boy trying to retire helps a damaged boy and falls for him.
Nice and long. Plenty of time to develop the story, to fix the kid up, to fall in love. Very nice.
There's a dog, too, so bonus. Note, you have to make it right to the end for the smexy. Right. To. The. End.
Nice and long. Plenty of time to develop the story, to fix the kid up, to fall in love. Very nice.
There's a dog, too, so bonus. Note, you have to make it right to the end for the smexy. Right. To. The. End.
August 13, 2016
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love Has No Boundaries Anthology: Volume 12. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
Oh my god, this picture! A beautiful and well paced story that's reminiscent of Zero at the Bone and Whistle Blowing. I loved both these guys, and although of course I'd love to be inside Shawn's head, it worked well the way it was. Maybe a second short of these two from his POV?!?
Cari's story In All Your Ways from last years event, Love Is Always Write: Volume Three, was good too if you wanna check out more of her work!
July 14, 2013
Oh man, this was... fucking brilliant. Seriously. Just so freaking awesome.
This was probably the best story I've read so far in the LHNB anthology - and it's maybe one of the best I've read full stop. Every damn sentence was perfect, the phrasing, the atmosphere, the story pacing. And if there was something non-perfect my unconscious obviously chose not to let me attend to it.
I'd have payed gladly for this story - actually the fact that I didn't while I've paid quite a bit of money for stories not even close to this level almost gives me a bad conscience. Maybe I'll alleviate it by looking at Cari Z.'s book list and buying her other stories. Because seriously. She so deserves that.
This was probably the best story I've read so far in the LHNB anthology - and it's maybe one of the best I've read full stop. Every damn sentence was perfect, the phrasing, the atmosphere, the story pacing. And if there was something non-perfect my unconscious obviously chose not to let me attend to it.
I'd have payed gladly for this story - actually the fact that I didn't while I've paid quite a bit of money for stories not even close to this level almost gives me a bad conscience. Maybe I'll alleviate it by looking at Cari Z.'s book list and buying her other stories. Because seriously. She so deserves that.
October 3, 2015
Wow. This was amazing, easily my favorite of the LHNBs stories so far. There was suspense, danger, love (which built over months), sweetness, etc. I loved the main guy even though I usually hate such characters. The author's understanding of what someone who's just woken up from a weeks long coma would go through, was spectacular. I just loved the whole thing. By the time I got to the end, I had to remind myself that I got this story free. As one of my friend's said, this was better than most of the stuff I pay for.
(I suspect the author hasn't been to Renton in a long time because I don't think there are any wilds left. It's mostly a commercial/business district and it's not a particularly safe area. But I may be wrong. Just in case you're thinking about moving to Renton.)
(I suspect the author hasn't been to Renton in a long time because I don't think there are any wilds left. It's mostly a commercial/business district and it's not a particularly safe area. But I may be wrong. Just in case you're thinking about moving to Renton.)
June 29, 2013
4.5
What a wonderful story. The story between Justin and Shawn develops so slowly, it is just perfect. The author was able to capture so much with these two characters even though Shawn couldn't speak, but that just made the journey so beautiful. There is so much more story to tell with them, especially Justin's background, that I really want more. I will reread this one again.
What a wonderful story. The story between Justin and Shawn develops so slowly, it is just perfect. The author was able to capture so much with these two characters even though Shawn couldn't speak, but that just made the journey so beautiful. There is so much more story to tell with them, especially Justin's background, that I really want more. I will reread this one again.
February 4, 2017
*** 4.25 Stars ***
This was a fabulous little freebie that was well written, well paced, had interesting characters, and a few sweet moments that made my heart go "awww". I look forward to reading more by this author.
This was a fabulous little freebie that was well written, well paced, had interesting characters, and a few sweet moments that made my heart go "awww". I look forward to reading more by this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews